“The One-Man-Band” [“Reflections On Adam Smith's Book An Inquiry Into The Nature And Causes Of The Wealth Of Nations Indianapolis : Liberty Classics, 1981 (Vol.I and II) Book 1, Sphere-Model - Chapter 3”]

There is a comic one-man-band
Which plays whatever comes to hand –
Guitar, mouth-organ, drum by foot,
With cymbal, washboard, sticks – which took –

A little while to come out right,
But lots do life like that – a fright
It is to see them – milk, then hoe,
Plow, fertilize, to market go –

It’s summer crops, and winter cows;
A feedlot operates somehow;
With chickens, pigs, and nine-bean-rows –
The dream of Walden by Thoreau.

Now Adam Smith says “Love of trade”
By one and all, both free and slave,
Is driver of divided toil,
But acts as well as market’s foil.

A huge impact on one and all –
Alone, or as a team – no call
For buyer, traders, shippers, goes
Out to one’s friends – “I’ll trade you those –

For these” – if there’s no neighbors there;
How can one trade? You’re in despair;
So why split down big tasks to one
If market trading can’t be done?

So Smith says, “Want to boost it all?
Then work on markets big and small –
Build roads, or better yet, make ships,
You’ll soon be rolling in the chips.

A pool of buyers can exist
In region, nation, or (with twist
Of fortune) all around the globe,
If you’ve got ships to bear the load.

When there’s a large pool trading you,
Then specialties quite soon ensue;
But if there’s land twixt you and them,
The costs and dangers rise again.

Cross land’s okay if value’s high,
And goods are light – then you might try
To penetrate landmass with goods;
But water’s cheaper – understood?

Of course if folks can seize, or tax
Your passage there, or coming back,
You’d better think again of ways
To market goods which quickly pays.

So folks who wish to pay the price
Help specialists niche-down – that’s nice;
But you help out to market boost –
Then specialists at home can choose –

To do what causes all to rise
Like boats upon the rising tide
(And Adam Smith’s balloon of wealth
To swell for all, improving health).

Thanks Lord for this.

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